File



J; F. LINDEN FILE Nov. 14, 1944,

Filed June 1, 1942 jwve nor Y J. F. L'i-naen Z g f Patented Nov. 14, 1944 PATENT OiFiFJl-CE' .10 "Claims.

. -The present invention melates'to files, :and :particularly :todihat type of file ihavingzan elongated mross :section and having .a central integrail tang :or shank :adapted 'to he projected relative to one another, .and. also permit the handle {and shank to "rotate relative :to one :an-

other particularly when pressure is exerted .on,

the file during use; relative imovement between the file shank and handle is 'very inconvenient and .is high objectionable as it interferes materiallywith the :rapid and .eflicient use of .thefile.

An important ;object of .my invention, therefore, .is to devise :efiective means for securing and maintaining,- the .file and :handle :in fixed relation .to one Lanother during long .and hard usage of the file. rAnother important object -.is to provide efiective means without the need of aierrule to protect the handle from splitting when the file shank,- is -.closely or forcibly :engaged with the handle for the operation of the file. .Still another important .object of the invention is to fulfill these objectives :set forth without :resorting to complicated;forms .sothat the invention may be .carriedinto ,efiect without the handicap of high costof manufacture.

It is to be noted that files are in ,a particular class of hand toolsin the respect that 'they are generally marketed without a manipulating handle, land-under actual conditions the user of the file usually applies the handle whichis often simply made by forming a piece of wood, which in many casesmay be :soft wood, into a suitable shape, and .by pressure and;rotation of the file tang or .shank relative to the handle, cuts away wooden shavings .from the interior :of the handle, therewith .forming an axial-recess for reception of the,file tang .or shank. When the file in conventional manner is properly joined with the handle by means of the central'conn-ecting shank, the .handle end of the :file body .is in close proximity to therend of the handle. This proximity presents ;a convenient opportunity ,for pro-.,

P ing'drawing in which-+ viding afile oi elongatedprossesectionwith novel supplementary. handle securing :means in the form :or :rearwardlm "projectin mini e handle engaging members, integral with @the body and, flanking {the central shank, which handle en a in members-have .the-murpose of, preventing =.reilat.ive rotation of the :fi-le and handle, but have the further .important :purpose, ;of teneaeing: the ':end ofwthe. handle EhGtWEQII-TthBm thus preventing the splitting of 'thechandle when the file shank :is 'driven tosits :final position :i-ngthe handle. The. improved sconsjtrdction iS'hEIfiiIIBJfiiBI'JIfiQl-B ftdlyz-described and illustrated in (her-accompany- Fig, 1 -is;a-.side:e1evation .=-of:a;filexwith ;a wooden handle, the latter :abeingrpartly :broken away;

-Eig.r 2 is :a similar wiew ".Qf a .file with ,a wooden handle .having a metal 'ierrule, said .handle valso being partly loroken away;

Fig. ;3 a partial elevation ;.-.of :a :modified dorm of file; 1

J- g: 4 n e gedcrosssection ion-the line 1- 4 Fig. 5 .an :enlarged cross section on zthe vline -5:; -ie-- :Fig. 6 a side -.elevat-ion of 1a diamond-shaped file;

the handle; .a: thevsideyedges hf :the ifile body and w b the sideedgesot the -.shank. 1 l-Reiierrin .-'.pa-rticularly jto .Figs. 1 and A, :it will be .-not,edthat the :metal body is :provided-"wit-h rearwardlygdisposed. lextensions -lll, 1on;e at :each

side or the shank :S-;and lying'inmthe plane f the shank .and file body. .These extensions :lil

are, for convenience 10$ reference, heneinafterreterred to as grippin iprongs (or handlelengagmg the :adjacerfit edge-20f the shank; and merges with the )file ibodylat .1112; flit kwill be seen, there tore, that each 1pm: terminates in an acute angled rpoint aorinddll.

Fig. 27 an enlargedcross gsection :on the :line

These gripping or handle engaging prongs H], which comprise the main feature of the invention, provide, in conjunction with the conventional shank S, eifective means for securing the file and handle in a stable and securedly fixed relation to each other.

The invention is put into effect by joining the file and handle in a. usual. manner and forcibly embedding the prong members In in the end of the wooden handle to a depth sufiicient to ensure a fi'rm engagement between the file and handle.

It will be apparent that when the gripping prongs ID are arranged at the edges of the file body as shown in Fig. 1, the prongs might be spaced too far apart in a wide file for the prong members to be properly embedded within the confines of the handle, or would otherwise require a handle of toolarge diameter for comfortable operation of the file.

. In wide files, therefore, the prongs will preferably be arranged as shown in Fig. 2. In this form the outer edges of the prongs are not in alinement or flush with the marginal edges 0. of the file body, but join the file body at point I5 on a line intermediate the marginal edge a and the shank. It will also be noted in Fig. 2 that the short angular stretches of the rearwardlyv terminating edge portions "5 are located at a distance rearwardly beyond the junctions I2 formed-by the inner edge surfaces of the prong members it! and the base of the shank joining the file body, and thus these short edge portions i6 can be closely engaged with the peripheral extremities of the end of the'handle without obstruction of the edge surfaces at junctions l2. This arrangement, therefore, provides additional means for connecting the file and handle in close engagement and stable assembly.

In wide files, instead of forming the abrupt shoulders l6 as in Fig. 2, I may taper the side edges of the rear end of the file body as shown in Fig. 3 to form the inclined surfaces I]; thus providing for a reduction of the prong spacing as described in connection with said Fig. 2.

While it is preferabl that the' prongs be of the general shape shown in Figs. 1 to 6, it will be apparent that other shapes are possible. An example of one of such shapes is shown in Fig. 8, the body of each prong being formed with substantially parallel sides, both sides being levelled oif adjacent the end to form a point for the prong.

The shape of prong shown in Figs. 1 to 6 is preferred. By providing the straight outer side 14, there is little, if any, tendency to cause the handle to split when driving the shank and prongs into the handle, while the inclined inner surfaces l3 act as wedges which tend to compress the intervening wood against th shank and thus increase the resistance to withdrawal of the shank from the handle. This shape of prongs is also preferred for the reason that the inclined inner side edges are adapted to form grooves in the side surfaces of the handle, adjaccnt the end of the latter by compression of the wood, the prong members being properly embedded in the thus formedgrooves. This re sult can be attained also if the outer side edges of the prongs are flush with, or slightly projecting from the side surfaces of the handle. It is to be noted that the shank of the file for practical reasons of manufacture is of rectangular cross-section, with the body of the shank gradually increasing in width toward the base 75 joining the file body. Consequently when the base and the adjacent area of the shank is comparatively wide in relation to the side section or thickness of the shank the outward wedging pressure and strain on the handle is exerted from the side edges of the shank, and not from the face surfaces.

The location and form of the gripping prongs ID, as described, is therefore adapted to resist and counteract the outwardlyexerted wedging pressure of the side edges by the opposite inner side edges of the prong members which exerts an inward pressure on the intervening wood and side edges of the shank. The hazard of splitting the handle when no ferrule is used is materially reduced, and the firm hold effected by the prong member against pivotal or rotating movement of the file relative to the handle obviate any need for driving wedges into the axial recess of the handle against the longitudinal surfaces of the shank in an effort to obtain a fixed position of the file relative to the handle.

It is to be understood that while the present drawing illustrates the preferred forms of the invention, it is not intended that the appended claims shall be limited to the precise forms shown, the claims being intended to cover any forms and modifications which fall within the broad scope of the invention.

' What I claim as my invention is:

l. A file comprising an abrasive body having projecting integrally from one end thereof and in the longitudinal plane of the body a centrally positioned shank, and a pair of rearwardly extending miniature handle-engaging prongs arranged one at each side of the shank, and

in spaced relation thereto, said prongs being integral with the body.

2. A filecomprising an abrasive body having projecting integrally from one end thereof and in the longitudinal plane of the body a centrally positioned shank, and a pair of miniature handle-engaging prongs, arranged one at each side of the shank and in spaced relation thereto, said prongs being integral with the body, said shank and prongs having their bases arranged in substantially the same transverse plane.

3. A file comprising an abrasive body having projecting integrally from one end thereof and in the longitudinal plane of the body a centrally positioned shank, and a pair of miniature handle-engaging prongs arranged one at each side of the shank, and in spaced relation thereto, said prongs being integral with the body and each of said prongs terminating rearwardly with an acute angled point.

4. A file comprising an abrasive body having projecting integrally from one end thereof and in the longitudinal plane of the body a centrally positioned shank, and a pair of miniature handle-engaging prongs arranged one at each side of the shank, each of said prongs being integral with the body and extending rearwardly the shank end thereof and each terminating with an acute angled point.

5. A file comprising an abrasive body having projecting integrally from one end thereof and in the longitudinal plane of the body a centrally positioned shank, and a pair of handle-engaging prongs flanking the shank, said prongs being integral with the body and each of said prongs being of a miniature length relative to the length of the shank, and the width of the shank adjacent its base greater than the width of the base of either of said prongs.

of said prongs being integral with the body; the length and width of the central shank being greater than the length and width of either of the prongs. I

7. A file comprising an abrasive body of elongated cross-section having projecting in the longitudinal plane from one end thereof a pair of spaced handle-engaging prongs and an in-,- tenmediate shank, said prongs and shank being integral with the body and the shank of greater length than the prongs, said file having a rearwardly terminating body portion of gradually reduced width in a direction rearwardly and merging with the said handle-engaging prongs. 8. A file comprising an abrasive body having projecting from one end thereof in the longitudinal plane of the body a pair of spaced han' shank being inclined from the body in a direction away from the shank.

9. A file comprising an abrasive body having projecting from one end thereof in the longitudinal plane of the body a pair of spaced handle-engaging prongs and an intermediate shank, said prongs and shank being integral with the body and the shank of greater length than the prongs, said shank being of gradually reduced width in a direction away from the body, the side edge of the prong nearest the shank being inclined from the body in a direction away from the shank.

'10. A file comprising an abrasive body having projecting from one end thereof in the longitudinal plane .of the body a pair of spaced hanrile-engaging prongs and an intermediateshank, 

